Duo Who Caused Deadly Nassau Crash Get Jail Time

A man and woman from Brooklyn who caused a crash that killed a newly engaged couple in Inwood last April both received prison sentences yesterday.

Rahmel Watkins, 36, was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison before Judge Fran Ricigliano. He was found guilty on Sept. 24 of two counts of criminally negligent homicide, four counts of second-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment and reckless driving. He was acquitted on two charges of second-degree manslaughter.

Zakiyyah Steward, 27, pled guilty to three counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and two counts of second-degree manslaughter on Feb. 26. She was sentenced to three to nine years in prison.

“The Levin and Kaplan families phrased it perfectly when they said they would have to endure lifelong sorrow as they forever mourn the loss of Elisheva and Yisroel,” said Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas. “Their young and innocent lives were taken from them too soon because of a deadly combination of alcohol, drugs, speed and recklessness. I am grateful to the work of our prosecutors and police department for ensuring justice was served.”

Singas said that on April 4 at around 1:40 a.m., Watkins and Steward were driving north on Nassau Expressway in Inwood heading to a casino in Queens, Watkins was driving a 2010 BMW 550 GT recklessly and very fast when his car crossed the double-yellow line and struck a 2017 Nissan Altima head-on, which was being driven by Yisroel Levin with his fiance, Elisheva Kaplan, in the passenger seat. The couple was returning home from a Passover gathering.

The Altima burst into flames in the crash and was pushed backward, killing the couple. Watkins then struck a silver Infiniti being driven by James Hamilton, fracturing his spine and causing knee and ankle injuries as well.

At the same time Watkins was driving, Steward was driving a 2016 Hyundai Genesis next to him at the same rate of speed, and she was drunk and high on marijuana. Singas said that Steward's car also hit Levin's Altima.

Both Steward and Watkins suffered only minor injuries in the crash.

Levin's family was angry with the sentence, wishing that the judge had given Watkins the max sentence of 25 years to life.